The span is the first of its kind in Michigan, having been constructed and moved by Michigan Department of Transportation crews Tuesday using the "bridge slide" method implemented elsewhere across the country.

Crews initially figured the move, which began Sunday, would take 10 hours to complete before inspection. The process involving a combination of hydraulics and a lubricant called "Royal Purple Thermyl-Glyde 1000" — not dish soap as has been used in other projects — ended up taking almost a full 24 hours.

The structure weighed in at about 1.5 million pounds of steel and concrete. It's expected to open to traffic by 9 p.m. Thursday or sooner.

"Everything went completely as planned, but this is the first time of us doing something like this," MDOT spokesman John Richard said. "We had to make sure both ends of the bridge were moved evenly.

"You don't want it to twist or warp during the process."

In April, work began to eventually demolish the northbound U.S. 131 bridge over Three Mile Road. The new bridge is built next to its predecessor, which was demolished before the new structure literally slid into place. The southbound span over Three Mile is slated to undergo the same procedure on or around Sept. 8, with both totaling about $4.2 million, Richard said.

MDOT insists the method saves time and money considering motorists only are detoured for days rather than months.

Until the new span's opening, motorists still must exit northbound U.S. 131 at Jefferson Road, travel east to Northland Drive, then north to Eight Mile Road before jumping back on U.S. 131.